Side delivery tape applicator

ABSTRACT

A roll of tape is mounted on a carriage and tape is drawn off and applied laterally of the carriage to one surface by moving the carriage over an adjoining angularly related surface, and, where possible, with the carriage wheels riding on the said adjoining surface. The roll of tape is mounted on the carriage in a plane parallel with the surface over which the carriage is moved, and means are provided for adjusting the position of the roll of tape toward and away from the wall over which the carriage is moved to compensate for differences in the width of rolls of tape and to bring a side surface of the tape roll close to the wall so that the tape will be applied with an edge close to that wall. Cut off means is disposed relative to guide and applicator means so that the tape may be drawn back against the cut off means and cut off where desired, as by stopping rotation of the tape roll while the carriage is moving. The guide is provided with means to limit lateral movement of the tape even if the tape roll wobbles on its mount. The applicator is positioned relative to the tape roll so that pressure is exerted chiefly along the inner edge of a length of tape being applied.

y 18, 1972 w. WAGNER SIDE DELIVERY TAPE APPLICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1970 j -1. 20 I L: I'm H INVENTOR. Wa/Zer Wagner y 8, 1972 w. WAGNER SIDE DELIVERY TAPE APPLICATOR 3 Sheet 2 42 4 Filed May 1, 1970 s -Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Wagner a PG! w B ay m y 18, 1972 w. WAGNER SIDE DELIVERY TAPE APPLICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 1, 1970 mvsm'ox WaZie-r Wag Iver y M 11 MWWM .H

3,677,865 SIDE DELIVERY TAPE APPLICATOR Walter Wagner, Dumont, NJ. 07628 Filed May 1, 1970, Ser. No. 33,546 Int. Cl. B32b 31/18, 31/20 US. Cl. 156577 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A roll of tape is mounted on a carriage and tape is drawn off and applied laterally of the carriage to one surface by moving the carriage over an adjoining angularly related surface, and, where possible, with the carriage wheels riding on the said adjoining surface. The roll of tape is mounted on the carriage in a plane parallel with the surface over which the carriage is moved, and means are provided for adjusting the position of the roll of tape toward and away from the wall over which the carriage is moved to compensate for differences in the width of rolls of tape and to bring a side surface of the tape roll close to the wall so that the tape will be applied with an edge close to that wall. Cut off means is disposed relative to guide and applicator means so that the tape may be drawn back against the cut oif means and cut off where desired, as by stopping rotation of the tape roll while the carriage is moving. The guide is provided with means to limit lateral movement of the tape even if the tape roll wobbles on its mount. The applicator is positioned relative to the tape roll so that pressure is exerted chiefly along the inner edge of a length of tape being applied.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device adapted primarily for applying tape to one surface by moving it over an adjacent angularly related surface. While it has many useful applications, its use is particularly contemplated for placing a strip of masking tape along one surface in substantially abutting relation to another, angularly related, surface. It is particularly useful in preparing for painting a wall or ceiling of a room by placing a strip of masking tape along the adjacent edge of the adjoining wall, walls, ceiling, floor or carpet. An advantage of the device is that it is able to guide and dispense a length of masking tape onto one wall at a corner of the room in close abutting relation to an adjoining wall. The adjustable wheel mountings compensate for differences in width of the tape and insure that the inner edge of the tape will be applied in abutting relation to an adjoining surface.

While the device disclosed herein is a carriage comprising a frame mounted on wheels for moving the device over one wall while it is applying tape on to another angularly related wall, the device may also be used without contact between the wheels and a wall. For example, if it is desired to paint a baseboard molding of a room which has wall to wall carpeting, the device may be employed to apply tape over the edge of the carpet adjoining the molding even though the molding will prevent the wheels of the device from contacting and riding on the adjacent side wall.

The guide means employed and the adjustable position of the pressure roll relative to the plane of the tape roll prevent lateral displacement of the tape and cause it to adhere chiefly along its inner edge. In the case of applying tape to a carpet adjacent a baseboard molding, it will be found that the near edge of the tape will be turned down between the carpet and the molding while the outer edge of the tape, remote from the molding, may be substantially free or only lightly adhering to the surface of the carpet. This result is accomplished by the adjustable olfset position of the pressure roll relative to the tape roll.

The word wall is used broadly herein and it will be understood that the applicator disclosed herein may be used for masking not only side walls and ceilings and floors but also window glass, and a floor or carpet as when painting baseboards.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE A frame is provided, which may be T shaped and has wheels on which it may be moved over a wall surface. At each end of the cross bar of the frame a guide roll and an applicator or pressure roll are mounted. A roll of tape may be mounted under the frame so that it will deliver either to the right or left hand of a person using the device. Adjacent each combination of a guide roll and an applicator roll is a tape cutter disposed close to the periphery of a tape roll mounted under the frame. The cutter is spaced inwardly from the path followed by the tape While the tape roll is rotating and the tape is being unwound and applied to a wall surface. But the tape may be pushed against the cutter, or drawn back against cutter, and cut off by stopping rotation of the tape roll while the applicator is moving or by rotating the tape roll in reverse.

The rolls comprising each combination of a guide roll and a pressure roll coact in advancing the tape but they are not necessarily exactly aligned. Each guide roll preferably has an abutment along one side which is elfective in preventing the unwinding tape from moving laterally, as for example away from the corner or interface with an adjoining angularly related surface, even if the roll of tape being used tends to wobble on its mounting. The width of the pressure roll is preferably less than the width of the tape being applied and the position of the pressure roll is adjustable toward and away from the frame to cause the center line of the pressure roll to be slightly olfset relative to the center line of the tape roll so that the applying pressure is exerted chiefly along the inner edge of the tape leaving the outer edge of the tape free or only lightly adhering to the surface to which it is applied, which result not only facilitates removal of the tape but also helps to prevent damage to the surface when the tape is removed.

The wheel mountings are adjustable toward and away from the frame to compensate for differences in the width of rolls of tape so that the roll of tape may be supported as close as possible to a wall over which the device is moved on the said wheels and so that the tape delivered laterally of the device will be applied to one wall with its edge substantially touching an angularly related wall.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is an end view of an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2. is a bottom plan view,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation,

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the lines 55 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the lines 6-6 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 7 is a front view of the device showing tape being applied to a ceiling while the applicator is being moved toward the viewer over a side wall, with the ceiling and side being indicated in cross section,

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 7 showing a pressure roll pressing a length of masking tape, as it is unwound from the tape roll, along a ceiling in close proximity to a side wall on which the wheels of the applicator are traveling,

FIG. 9 is a detail view partly in section showing the device traveling along a baseboard while tape is being laid over the adjacent edge of a carpet which extends to the baseboard, and illustrating how the pressure roll, being a little narrower than the tape exerts its pressure more on the edge of the tape which is adjacent the baseboard than on the edge which is further inward of the carpet,

FIG. 10 shows in cross section a strip of tape after it has been applied along the edge of the carpet and illustrates the result of applying greater pressure along the inner edge of the tape with the result that the inner edge actually turns down over the edge of the carpet adjacent the baseboard, while its opposite edge is left free or adhering only lightly to the surface of the carpet,

FIG. 11 illustrates the device being used for placing a strip of masking tape along the edge of a window or door frame while the device is being moved over the surface of a wall in which the window or door frame is located,

FIG. 12 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 1212 of FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 is a view partly in section taken on the line 13--13 of FIG. 11 and looking at the edge of the applicator device which is remote from the door or window frame which is being masked,

FIG. 14 is a view of the device partly cut away and partly in section showing the applicator equipped with a stop or spacing member projected in front of the applicator and touching a ceiling while the wheels of the applicator rest on one side wall and tape is being applied to an angularly related side wall close to the angular interface between the two side walls, and

FIG. 15 illustrates how, the spacing member having been projected ahead of the device a distance equal to the length of the portion of the tape between the cutter and a point on the pressure roll tangential to the wall over which the tape is being applied, the tape having been cut off, as by a twist of the wrist of the operator, the free end of the tape may be applied by the operators finger and will extend precisely up to the ceiling.

DESCRIPTION In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a substantially T-shaped frame comprises, a longitudinal frame member 10 which is offset intermediate its ends and bent down at its rear end, and a cross frame member 12. A roller 14 is mounted at the lower end of the bent down rear end of the longitudinal frame member 10, and a pair of rollers 16, 16 are mounted under and adjacent the respective ends of the cross member 12. The rollers 16 are carried by the downwardly extending ends of a cross bar 18, mounted by pin and slot connections to upturned brackets on the cross frame member 12 for adjustment in a plane normal to the frame. The upturned brackets of cross frame member 12 are identified by numeral 19, the slots in cross bar 18 are identified by the numeral 20, and the pins are shown as thumb screws 22, extending through the slot-s 20 and through the brackets 19.

A hub 24 is mounted for rotation under the frame, as by member 25 which is part bearing and has a screw threaded end which extends through the frame. The hearing portion of member 25 provides a seat on which a roll of tape may be supported for rotation in a plane parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the plane of the frame and to a surface over which the applicator is being moved. It will be noted the plane of the roll of tape may be adjusted toward and away from the surface by raising and lowering cross bar 18.

As shown the hub 24 is cup-shaped with strengthening radial webs 26. Knobs 27 project from the periphery of the hub. They serve to compensate for slight variations in the internal diameter of tape rolls.

Also supported beneath the frame on either side, and adjacent the periphery of a roll of tape T mounted on its support hub 24, is the combination of a cutter 28, a guide roll 30 and a pressure roll 32. Tape may be drawn from the tape roll and passed over either guide roll and pressure roll combination with the adhesive face out. By placing the free end of the tape i on a wall surface and mow'ng the applicator forward over an angular related wall the tape may be unwound from the tape roll and, depending upon which side of the tape roll is up, the tape may be made to move around either set of rollers 30, 32 and applied laterally of the frame to a wall surface close to its interface with an adjoining wall.

Each cutter member 28 comprises an angular member with serrated teeth directed toward the tape as it travels from the tape roll to a guide roll 30. Each member 28 is disposed adjacent the path of the tape but is spaced sufficiently from the tape so that the latter does not come in contact with cutter 28 while the tape roll is rotating. When the operator wishes to cut olf the tape he may accomplish this simply by pressing his finger on the tape roll and stopping its rotation. A slight further forward movement of the device brings the tape back against the cutter and cuts it ofi close to the point where it separates from the roll. Cutting off of the tape may also be accomplished by manually rotating the tape roll in reverse, as for example when the applicator is in the position shown in FIG. 14 with the stop-spacing member 34 extended in front of the device and abutting against a wall surface. As shownmember 34 has a longitudinal slot 36 and may be held in projected or withdrawn positions by means of thumb screws 38 extending through a slot 36 into the frame.

As shown in FIG. 5 each guide roll 30, at its end which is proximate to the frame, which is the outer end of the guide roll with respect to the wall angularly related to the wall on which the tape is being applied, has a shoulder 40 which prevents the unwinding tape from moving laterally away from the corner or interface between the two angularly related walls.

Each guide roll 30 and each pressure roll 32 is mounted for rotation on a bearing shaft 42 depending from the cross frame member 12, and which may be similar to bearing screw 25. At least each pressure roll 32 is adjustable toward and away from the supporting frame to control the alignment and non-alignment of the pressure roll with its guide roll 30 and with the tape roll T. It is desirable for the pressure roll to press on the inner edge of the length of tape being applied to a surface more than on its outer edge to cause the tape to adhere firmly to the surface along its inner edge, which is the edge in abutting relation to the adjoining angularly related surface, leaving its outer edge free or only lightly adhering to the surface. This enables the tape to be removed from the surface more readily and substantially eliminates the likelihood of damage to the surface during removal of the tape.

It will be understood that in use the operator grasps the suitcase type handle provided by the offset portion 44 of the longitudinal frame member 10 and advances the device after leading an end of the tape past the cutter and over the guide and pressure rollers. When possible the wheels of the device are tested on one surface which may be a surface to be painted, while the pressure roller is pressed against an adjoining angularly related surface to apply a strip of tape over it so that paint will not be accidentally smeared on said adjoining surface when paint is applied to the surface to be painted.

Tape is supplied in different widths and the position of the shoulder 40 on guide roll 30 may in effect be moved inwardly along the guide roll to compensate for narrower widths by slipping a collar (not shown) on the guide roll in abutting relation to the shoulder 40.

As shown in FIG. 1 a cutter guard 29 may be provided in association with each cutter 28.

Desirably a smooth face plate 46, of metal or plastic for example, is provided at the inner face of each pressure roll 32 to prevent wear of the roller and also to prevent the rubber or other composition of the roller from rubbing off onto the wall angularly adjoining the wall on which tape is applied. A face plate 44 is shown in FIG. 6 which also illustrates how a pressure roll may be locked in adjusted position by means of the wing nut 33 on the threaded end of member 42 which extends through the frame. As shown each pressure roll comprises a sleeve 48 adjustable axially of member 42 for moving the pressure roll toward and away from the supporting frame.

There has thus been provided a device in which the objects of the invention are acomplished in a simple and practical way.

El claim:

1. Apparatus for applying tape to a first surface adjoining, and angularly related to, a second surface, comprising, a carriage having a body and wheels on which the body is mounted, and means for mounting the wheels on horizontal axles to travel on said second surface, said body having means for mounting a roll of tape for rotation in a plane parallel with the plane of the second surface over which the carriage is moved, guide means, and pressure means for directing tape laterally as it is unwound from the tape roll and applying it on the first surface as the carriage is moved over the second surface.

2. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of the pressure means relative to the inner edge of tape being unwound from the tape roll and applied to a surface.

3. Apparatus for applying tape to a first surface adjoining, and angularly related to, a second surface, comprising, a carriage having a body and wheels on which the body is mounted, said body having means for mounting a roll of tape for rotation in a plane parallel with the plane of a surface over which the carriage is moved, guide means, and pressure means for directing tape as it is unwound from the tape roll and applying it on the first surface as the carriage is moved over the second surface and, wheel mounting means adjustable toward and away from a surface over which the carriage is moved to compensate for differences in width of rolls of tape and to control the position of a roll of tape on the carriage so that it is disposed close to the said second surface over which the carriage is moved and in position to deliver tape laterally from the carriage to be applied on the adjoining first surface with an edge of the tape in substantially abutting relation to the said second surface over which the carriage is moved.

4. Apparatus for applying tape to a first surface adjoining, and angularly related to, a second surface, comprising, a carriage having a body and wheels on which the body is mounted, said body having means for mounting a roll of tape for rotation in plane parallel with the plane of a surface over which the carriage is moved, guide means, and pressure means for directing tape as it is unwound from the tape roll and applying it on the first surface as the carriage is moved over the second surface, the means for mounting a roll of tape being such that a roll of tape may be mounted thereon for delivering tape either to the left or right of the carriage, and may be reversed on the mounting means for changing the direction of tape delivery, two pairs of guide and pressure means, mounted along the respective lateral edges of the said body, each pair comprising a guide roll and an applicator roll and each guide roll and each applicator roll being mounted on an axis which is at right angles to the axis of the wheels of the carriage.

5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 having also cutters on the frame slightly to the rear of said guide rolls respectively and between said rolls and the periphery of a roll of tape mounted on the carriage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,591,136 4/1952 Cleary et al 156-486 X 3,547,740 12/1970 Hinds 156577 X 2,713,437 7/1955 Broden 156486 X 3,364,096 1/1968 Hetes 156-577 3,536,569 10/1970 Gosnell 156-577 X SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner I. M. HANLEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 156-526 

